Steve Yzerman says he wishes Detroit Red Wings were ‘further ahead’ in rebuild

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman expressed his satisfaction with the team's progress in the recently concluded NHL season despite missing out on the playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. Yzerman acknowledges that the rebuild is not a quick process, and he is willing to remain patient and committed to the team's long-term goals. While talking to the media, he said he is “Okay” with where the Red Wings are at but wishes the rebuild was “further ahead.”

Key Points

• Yzerman is “okay” with the team's current standing in the NHL despite missing out on the playoffs for seven straight years.
• The Red Wings have progressed in the recently completed season, and Yzerman is satisfied with the young players' development.
• The team is still in a rebuilding process, and Yzerman cautions fans that it will take time to transition from rebuilders to Cup contenders.
• Yzerman made the decision to sell off assets at the Trade Deadline to continue the rebuilding process.
• Yzerman is committed to staying the course, regardless of how long it takes, to achieve the team's long-term goals.

Steve Yzerman says he wishes Detroit Red Wings were ‘further ahead' in rebuild

During his season-ending presser on Friday, Yzerman told reporters that he is “okay” with where the Red Wings currently are, but at the same time, he wishes the rebuild was “further ahead.”

“I'm not disappointed at where we're at, I guess I'm okay with it,” Yzerman said. “But I intend to stick with the process and the plan. Nothing is going to dramatically change, we're going to continue looking for opportunities to expedite the process. That's difficult to do, but we'll continue to do it. I guess four years in, I'm okay with where we're at. I'm hoping to see more improvement and we started to see some of it. Last year we had Lucas and Moritz come in, and this year we got games from Berggren and Michael Rasmussen who was drafted prior to me getting here. Joe Veleno is slowly increasing his role and having a bigger impact. We're gradually moving some of the younger players in.” 

“I'm okay where we're at. Like all of you, I wish we were further ahead as well.” 

Bottom Line: The “Yzerplan” is still a work in progress

Steve Yzerman's return to Detroit in April 2019 marked the beginning of the Red Wings' rebuild, which aims to transform the team from rebuilders to Cup contenders. Yzerman has been patient and committed to the long-term vision for the team, and he is willing to take the necessary steps to achieve that goal. His decision to sell off assets at the recent NHL Trade Deadline indicates his commitment to the rebuild and the team's long-term goals.

“It's gone okay,” he said when asked to review his first four years on the job. “I would love to be further ahead in the process, but again, I started out four years ago saying that it would take time and that we need to be patient. We're trying to draft well and accumulate more draft picks, and time will tell if we've drafted well, that's the reality. It's a slow process, and I would love to sit here and say I”m thrilled with where we're at and how things have gone the last four seasons. I've been pleased with some of the development of our draft prospects, and others are taking longer or haven't quite turned out to this point what we hoped, but that's okay. I fully believe in where we sit here today from four years ago.”